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Tag: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

  • Wenger to take late call on Aubameyang for Everton clash

    Wenger to take late call on Aubameyang for Everton clash

    Arsenal will assess Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s fitness before deciding if the striker can make his debut for the club in Saturday’s premier league clash with Everton, the club’s Manager Arsene Wenger has said.

    The London club bolstered their forward line by signing the Gabon international from Borussia Dortmund for a club-record fee on Wednesday, but Aubameyang, 28, did not fully participate in Thursday’s training session due to a fever.“ I have to assess how well he is physically today and how well he feels. He had a fever, so he could not practise a lot.

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    “He started yesterday; he was still not completely well. I have to assess with the medical department how fit he can be,” Wenger told a news conference on Friday.

    The manager said that he would take a late call on midfielder Jack Wilshere, who is also unwell.

    “We hope he is capable of being in the squad; he is better. He will practise with the team today, and we will see how he feels,” Wenger added.

    The manager said that Armenian midfielder, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, another of Arsenal’s recruits in the January transfer window, is in line to start against ninth-placed Everton.

    Wenger, however, kept his cards close to his chest when asked if the attacking quartet of Aubameyang, Mkhitaryan, Mesut Ozil and Alexandre Lacazette could play together on Saturday.

    “It’s always possible. Will I do it? Maybe; I don’t know, but it is possible; yes.

    “You need at least two top strikers to play in the premier league because if one gets injured, you have a problem,” he said.

    Arsenals are sixth in the table with 42 points from 25 games.

    NAN

  • Arsenal seals £56m Aubameyang deal

    Arsenal seals £56m Aubameyang deal

     

    Arsenal have completed the club-record £56million signing of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Borussia Dortmund.

    Dortmund confirmed the news on their Twitter account on Wednesday, before Arsenal then shared a series of pictures of Aubameyang posing in the club’s home kit, pulling a variety of animated poses. He has become the best-paid player in the club’s history on a three-and-a-half-year contract worth £180,000 per week.

    The 28-year-old striker is part of a transfer merry-go-round that will see Olivier Giroud leave the Gunners for Chelsea and Michy Batshuayi quit Stamford Bridge to replace Aubameyang at Dortmund.

    But Aumbameyang brings with him a bad-boy reputation, having been the subject of several disciplinary proceedings by Dortmund as he pushed for a move away from the club.

    A statement from Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc alluded to the recent problems, saying: ‘Apart from the unpleasant events of recent weeks, we like to remember that the story of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at BVB for more than four years was a single success story.

    ‘He has done great things for Borussia Dortmund at this time, scored many important goals and is part of the team that brought the DFB Cup to Dortmund in 2017. We wish Pierre-Emerick all the best for his future at Arsenal.’

    The move for the explosive striker has been driven by Arsenal’s recently-appointed head of recruitment Sven Mislintat.

    At 28, he is likely to have little resale value. Similarly, his sometimes criticised attitude represents a shift from the type of personality the club have targeted under Arsene Wenger.

    The Arsenal manager and chief executive Ivan Gazidis arrived at their London Colney training ground on Wednesday morning as they tied up the Aubameyang deal.

    Wenger appeared in serious mood as he drove in just hours after his side’s humiliating 3-1 defeat at struggling Swansea.

    But the boss may well have a smile back on his face after completing the impressive signing of a striker who has excelled in the Bundesliga. He scored 141 goals in 212 appearances for Dortmund.

  • Arsenal agree record £55.4m deal with Aubameyang

    Arsenal agree record £55.4m deal with Aubameyang

     

    Arsenal have agreed a club-record fee of £55.4million with Borussia Dortmund for striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

    The Gabon international, who has been the subject of intense interest this month from the Gunners, is also set to be the club’s highest-paid player.

    Arsenal have offered Aubameyang a three-and-a-half-year contract worth £180,000 a week as they look to bolster their attacking options.

    Meanwhile, Sport Bild are reporting that Borussia Dortmund have lined up their replacement for Aubameyang, with Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi to be loaned to the Bundesliga outfit.

    Dortmund had looked at signing Giroud but a move for the Frenchman failed, with the striker’s family wanting to stay in England.

    Aubameyang’s arrival means Arsenal will allow Giroud to move to Chelsea should their London rivals meet the club’s £35m valuation.

    Chelsea discussed Giroud over the weekend as they are struggling to strike an agreement with Roma for Edin Dzeko and Emerson Palmieri.

    Arsene Wenger, who is eager to build a squad that can fire Arsenal back into the Champions League, was pictured arriving for training on Monday with the deal for Aubameyang drawing ever closer.

    Wenger is currently gearing up for Arsenal’s Premier League clash with Swansea on Tuesday night at the Liberty Stadium.

    The north London outfit sits sixth in the English top flight, five points off fourth-placed Liverpool with 14 matches remaining.

    Aubameyang will be an excellent addition to Arsenal’s squad in the hunt for a top-four spot, with the 28-year-old having netted 13 goals in the Bundesliga this season after finishing last campaign as the league’s top scorer.

    Aubameyang captained Gabon at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, scoring the team’s opening goal of the tournament in their 2–0 win over Burkina Faso on 17 January 2015. He also scored a brace against Mali on 25 March 2015. He is Gabon’s highest goalscorer. He however rejected a callup for a pivotal World Cup qualifier at home to the Ivory Coast, which they lost 3–0.

    He began his 2016–17 season in the Bundesliga with a double against FSV Mainz 05 on 27 August in a 2–1 victory, while also scoring twice against VfL Wolfsburg on 20 September. Aubameyang scored three days later against recently promoted SC Freiburg, bringing his season total to 5, into a tie atop the scoring charts with Lewandowski early in the season. Following an injury to Marcel Schmelzer, Aubameyang wore the captain’s armband for Dortmund for the first time on 22 October, also scoring a goal in the 3–3 draw at FC Ingolstadt.

     

  • UEFA Champions League: Ronaldo grabs brace as Real Madrid beat Borussia Dortmund

    UEFA Champions League: Ronaldo grabs brace as Real Madrid beat Borussia Dortmund

    Cristiano Ronaldo marked his 150th European game with two goals as Real Madrid sealed a 3-1 victory at Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday to lead their UEFA Champions League Group H.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ronaldo scored two second half goals after Gareth Bale’s stunning early volley gave Real the lead at Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park.

    The Germans fought back when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang finally netted with just over half an hour left, but there was to be no repeat of last year’s 2-2 draw in Dortmund between the teams.

    “Real were simply ruthless and utilised their goal scoring chances,” Dortmund midfielder Gonzalo Castro later said.

    “We had the chance to make it 1-1, but instead we went 0-2 down and then it is always hard against Real.’’

    The result leaves Real top of Group H, just ahead of Tottenham Hotspurs, who beat Apoel Nicosia 3-0 away in Cyprus through a Harry Kane hat-trick.

    Having also netted twice against Apoel, Ronaldo has now scored four goals in just two Champions League games this season.

    He marked his 400th appearance for Madrid in total with another pair to leave him with 411 goals in the famous white shirt.

    This is the first time Dortmund have lost at home to Real in seven European games, while holders Madrid have now scored in 38 successive Champion League games.

    Dortmund should have been awarded a penalty kick with 13 minutes gone when Sergio Ramos cleared Maximilian Philipp’s shot off the line and the ball deflected off his hand.

    Andrey Yarmolenko’s initial cross sailed tantalisingly over the head of Borussia’s top-scorer Aubameyang in the build-up.

    Real took the lead three minutes later when right-back Daniel Carvajal whipped in a cross and Bale’s non-chalant volley sailed over Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Burki for a stunning goal.

    With half an hour gone, Dortmund turned the screw with Carvajal having to rescue Real by whipping the ball off Aubameyang’s toes with the Gabon striker bearing down on goal.

    Aubameyang had the ball in the net on 38 minutes, when he spun and fired home Lukasz Piszczek’s pass, but the goal was ruled offside as it stayed 1-0 to Real at the break.

    Real lived dangerously after the break when Mario Goetze tried to find Aubameyang, but centre-back Raphael Varane cleared the danger.

    The Spanish giants doubled their lead on 49 minutes when Ronaldo met Bale’s inch-perfect cross.

    Dortmund pulled a goal back on 54 minutes when Aubameyang slipped his marker to convert Gonzalo Castro’s cross, then hit the side netting as Borussia pushed for the equaliser.

    With 15 minutes left, Burki had to push Isco’s shot around the post as Real kept the pressure.

    Ronaldo, who was left in acres of space, settled the tie by blasting home Luka Modric’s cross on 79 minutes with Madrid’s third goal on the break.

    It was a goal which took the game out of Dortmund’s grasp.

    In other UEFA Champions League matches played on Tuesday, Kevin De Bruyne’s superb strike and a late Raheem Sterling goal maintained Manchester City’s impressive form.

    They won 2-0 at Shakhtar Donetsk in Kiev

  • Zidane says No to Aubameyang

    Zidane says No to Aubameyang

    Bild – per the Spanish newspaper  has claimed Zinedine Zidane doesn’t believe Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

    has the profile to fit into Real Madrid.

    Zidane also believes that he already has suitable cover in the attacking positions.

    While other individuals at the Bernabeu are keen to see Aubameyang pull on the famous white

    shirt, Zidane will ultimately have the final say.

    It was recently reported that an unnamed club in the Chinese Super League wants to make

    Aubameyang the highest-paid footballer on the planet.

    But you suspect the striker would rather earn 10 per cent of the reported €41 million-a-year he

    could receive in China if it meant signing for European football’s most successful club instead.

    Meanwhile Aubameyang is keen to leave Borussia Dortmund if Real Madrid are serious about signing

    him.
    The Gabon international said: “Right now I feel very good at Dortmund but in the future we’ll

    see.”

     

     

  • Glo-CAF Awards 2016: Top 3 for all categories

    Glo-CAF Awards 2016: Top 3 for all categories

     

     

    On Thursday, 5 January 2017, the winners of the Glo-CAF Awards will be announced. In this report, cafonline has listed the top three players  for all categories. Excerpts:

     

    African Player of the Year

    Pierre-Emerick AUBAMEYANG (Gabon & Borussia Dortmund)

    Riyad MAHREZ (Algeria & Leicester City)

    Sadio MANE (Senegal & Liverpool)

     

    African Player of the Year – Based in Africa

    Denis ONYANGO (Uganda & Mamelodi Sundowns)

    Khama BILLIAT (Zimbabwe & Mamelodi Sundowns)

    Rainford KALABA (Zambia & TP Mazembe)

     

    Women’s Player of the Year

    Asisat OSHOALA (Nigeria & Arsenal Ladies)

    Elizabeth ADDO (Ghana & Kvarnsvedensik)

    Gabrielle ABOUDI ONGUENE (Cameroon & Rossyanka)

     

    Most Promising Talent

    Elia MESCHAK (DR Congo & TP Mazembe)

    Kelechi IHEANACHO (Nigeria & Manchester City)

    Naby KEITA (Guinea & RB Leipzig)

     

    Youth Player of the Year

    Alex IWOBI (Nigeria and Arsenal)

    Eric AYIAH (Ghana and Charity FC)

    Sandra OWUSU-ANSAH (Ghana and Supreme Ladies)

     

    Coach of the Year

    Florent IBENGE (DR Congo national team)

    Pitso MOSIMANE (Mamelodi Sundowns)

    Florence OMAGBEMI (Nigeria women’s national team)

     

    Club of the Year

    Mamelodi Sundowns

    TP Mazembe

    Zesco United

     

    National Team of the Year                                     

     

    DR Congo

    Senegal

    Uganda

     

    Women’s National Team of the Year

    Cameroon

    Nigeria

    South Africa

     

    Referee of the Year

    Bakary Papa GASSAMA

    Ghead Zaglol GRISHA

    Malang DIEDHIOU

     

    Football Leader of the Year

    Manuel LOPES NASCIMENTO, President of Guinea Bissau Football

    Federation Legend Award

    Laurent POKOU, Former player of Cote d’Ivoire

    Emilienne MBANGO, Former player of Cameroon

     

    Africa Finest XI

    Goalkeeper: Denis ONYANGO (Uganda & Mamelodi Sundowns)

    Defenders: Serge AURIER (Cote d’Ivoire & Paris Saint-Germain),

    Aymen ABDENNOUR (Tunisia & Valencia), Eric BAILLY (Cote

    d’Ivoire & Manchester United), Joyce LOMALISA (DR Congo & AS

    Vita)

    Midfielders: Khama BILLIAT (Zimbabwe & Mamelodi Sundowns),

    Rainford KALABA (Zambia & TP Mazembe), Keegan DOLLY (South

    Africa & Mamelodi Sundowns),

    Forwards: Pierre-Emerick AUBAMEYANG (Gabon & Borussia

    Dortmund), Sadio MANE (Senegal & Liverpool), Riyad MAHREZ

    (Algeria & Leicester City)

     

    Substitutes

    Aymen MATHLOUTHI (Tunisia & Etoile du Sahel), Kalidou

    KOULIBALY (Senegal & Napoli), Salif COULIBALY (Mali & TP

    Mazembe), Islam SLIMANI (Algeria & Leicester City), Mohamed

    Salah (Egypt & Roma), Kelechi IHEANACHO (Nigeria & Manchester

    City), Alex IWOBI (Nigeria and Arsenal)

  • Aubameyang, Lemina head Gabon AFCON squad

    Aubameyang, Lemina head Gabon AFCON squad

    Borussia Dortmund star, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Juventus midfielder Mario Lemina head Gabon’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) squad unveiled Tuesday by manager Jose Antonio Camacho.

    Bruno Ecuele Manga of English Championship side Cardiff City, China-based Malick Evouna and Sunderland’s Didier Ndong are also in the hosts’ squad for the continental showpiece starting on January 14, supersport.com reports.

    Gabon reached the quarter finals when it co-hosted the AFCON with Equatorial Guinea in 2012.

    The Panthers will play in Group A alongside Guinea-Bissau, Cameroon and Burkina Faso.

     

    The full squad:

     

    Goalkeepers: Didier Ovono (KV Ostende/BEL), Yves Stéphane Bitséki Moto (CF Mounana/GAB), Anthony Mfa Mezui

    Defenders: Lloyd Palun (Red Star/FRA), André Biyogho Poko (Karabukspor/TUR), Aaron Appindangoye (Laval/FRA), Franck Perrin Obambou (Stade Mandji/GAB), Bruno Ecuélé Manga (Cardiff City/WAL), Yoann Wachter (Sedan/FRA), Johann Serge Obiang (Troyes/FRA), Benjamin Zé Ondo (Mosta/MAL)

    Midfielders: Junior Serge Martinsson Ngouali (IF Brommapojkarna/SWE), Levy Clément Madinda (Nastic Tarragona/ESP), Guélor Kanga Kaku (Red Star Belgrade/SRB), Merlin Tandjigora (Meixian Hakka/CHN), Didier Ndong (Sunderland/ENG), Samson Mbingui (Raja Casablanca/MAR), Mario Lemina (Juventus/ITA)

    Forwards: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund/GER), Malick Evouna (Tianjin Teda/CHN), Denis Athanase Bouanga (Tours/FRA), Serge Kevyn Aboue Angoue (Uniao Leiria/POR), Cedric Ondo Biyoghe (CF Mounana/GAB).

  • Mahrez wins BBC African Player of the Year award

    Mahrez wins BBC African Player of the Year award

    Algeria’s Riyad Mahrez was named the BBC’s African Player of the Year for 2016 on Monday evening.

    The 25-year-old Fennec Foxes star, who also won the 2015/16 PFA Players’ Player of the Year gong for his brilliance in a Leicester City shirt, edged out Sadio Mane, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Andre Ayew and Yaya Toure to take the prize.

    The announcement was made on Monday night during BBC Focus on African TV and caps off a great year for Mahrez, who was a key part of Leicester’s stunning Premier League triumph.

    Mahrez will look to find his best form for Algeria when the Fennecs compete in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon early next year.

  • Mikel, Musa, Iheanacho out of CAF Player of the Year race

    Mikel, Musa, Iheanacho out of CAF Player of the Year race

    The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced the top five shortlists for the 2016 African Player of the Year award with the Super Eagles trio of Mikel Obi, Ahmed Musa and Kelechi Iheanacho not making the cut.

    Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Riyad Mahrez, Sadio Mane, Mohammed Salah and Islam Slimani made the top five decided by votes from the members of the CAF Media Committee, CAF Technical & Development Committee and half of the 20-member panel of experts, Goal reports.

    Borussia Dortmund striker Aubameyang won the 2015 award after a sizzling start to the previous season for the Bundesliga club.

    In the African Player of the Year (Based in Africa) category, Dennis Onyango, Hlompho Kekana, Keegan Dolly and Khama Billiat from the 2016 African Champions League winning side, Mamelodi Sundowns, made the mark with T.P Mazembe’s Rainford Kabala completing the list.

    The winners will be decided by votes from the head coaches and Technical Directors of the National Associations affiliated to CAF.

    The Glo/CAF awards gala night will take place on January 5, 2017 at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, Nigeria.

  • Toure, Aubemeyang, Ayew shortlisted for African award

    Toure, Aubemeyang, Ayew shortlisted for African award

    Manchester City star, Yaya Touré, Swansea midfielder André Ayew and Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have been shortlisted for the 2015 African Player of the Year award.

    Toure, who led Côte d’Ivoire to win the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea in February, is chasing a fifth consecutive African crown, while the Ghanaian and the Gabonese have never won the prestigious award, africanFootball.com reports.

    “The trio were unveiled at a press conference attended by CAF Executive member Anjorin Moucharafou and Glo representatives on Monday, in Abuja, Nigeria,” africanFootball.com quoted CAF as saying on its official website.

    “The winner to be decided by votes from head coaches or technical directors of the national associations affiliated to CAF ‎will be announced at the Glo-CAF Awards Gala on January 7, 2016.”

    TP Mazembe duo – Robert Kidiaba and Mbwana Samatta and Etoile du Sahel striker,  Baghdad Bounedjah will compete for the African Player of the Year-Based in Africa award.